Mike Pence says he’ll decide on presidential run in new year

WILTON — Be encouraged, Republicans.

That was the message former Vice President Mike Pence delivered throughout his keynote speech Thursday at the 15th annual Kaufmann Family Harvest Dinner in Wilton.

“I want you to be encouraged going into the election,” Pence said. “We’re going to get it all and then some.”

The former vice president focused his speech around re-electing Republicans to win back majorities in Congress, which will help “set the course for strong, conservative leadership” going into the 2024 presidential election, he said.

He told reporters that Republicans have a great opportunity for an "American comeback" this year and that it starts n Iowa by re-electing Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.

The Thursday night stop on behalf of state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, was Pence’s second visit to Iowa in a month. He was at the Iowa State Fair in August, joining Grassley on a tour of the fairgrounds.

Those visits, and others to the state, have sparked speculations that he will seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Pence told a group of reporters following his speech that he is focused on the midterm elections but alluded to a possible run in 2024, saying he would evaluate his next steps in the new year.

“When the time comes after the first of the year, we’ll take time to reflect on how we might serve in the future, the near-term or the long-term,” Pence said.

Pence’s multiple visits to Iowa could provide him a slight advantage in the presidential race since Iowa Republicans have retained their first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Pence, 63, the former governor of Indiana and a former member of the U.S. House, also has been at party fundraisers and speaking engagements in Iowa since the 2020 election, including a speech at the University of Iowa in November 2021 and a Cedar Rapids Kernels game in 2022.

Kaufmann said the main reason for Pence’s visit was to help maintain Iowa’s Republican trifecta — in the Iowa House, Senate and governor’s office. He called Pence’s career in public service a lifetime achievement.

Kaufmann, speaking to the crowd, said, “In our party, our issues, all these pieces that we've pushed past, are attempting to uplift everyone, to give everyone an opportunity to pursue the American dream.”